Forging a Path
Anastasia Joy* calls it the skeleton in her closet.
“I didn’t tell anyone about that part of my life until the FBI got involved,” said the 25-year-old Harrisburg-area resident. Continue reading Forging a Path
Project Type: Social Issues
Style and Substance
The day that her husband pushed her into a wall was the day that Cherie Faus-Smith left.
“It was a feeling of shock and fear,” she said. “The back of my head hit the wall, and two things ran through my mind—my son was in the house, and I was afraid of what Phil* might do next.”
Overall, one in three women experience severe physical violence by a partner. Last year, 122 people died as a result of domestic violence in Pennsylvania. Continue reading Style and Substance
Changing the Game
Loretta Claiborne didn’t walk or talk until the age of 4.
Born partially blind with intellectual disabilities in 1953, Claiborne was one of seven children raised in York by a single mother. Public school brought bullying, name-calling, anger and fighting.
The odds were against her. Sports, however, transformed her life. Continue reading Changing the Game
Spring Cleaning
John Naylor started an Instagram account to document all the plastic he was pulling out of the Susquehanna River and into his canoe. Continue reading Spring Cleaning
Plant Powered
How do you choose the food you eat? It may sound like a simple question, but how often do you truly evaluate your nutritional choices and diet? We talked to a number of Susquehanna Valley residents, including health and wellness professionals, who made significant changes by switching to vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based diets and lifestyles. Their anecdotes and results may surprise you. Continue reading Plant Powered
Have Yourself a Monster Little Christmas
A white dog, dripping blood, came into the Humane Society of the Harrisburg Area as a cruelty case.
Living in a backyard, he got loose just before his scheduled surrender to the society. While on the run, he was shot in the face. Coincidentally, his name was Bullet. Continue reading Have Yourself a Monster Little Christmas
Stories from the Yellow House
“I know I’m intelligent, but I feel very stupid,” says Melissa*, her voice shaking at times, but strong enough to tell her personal story. “I was the breadwinner, but now I have nothing.” Continue reading Stories from the Yellow House
Churches on a Mission
During a 2001 leadership class at Freedom Valley Worship Center, Pastor Gerry Stoltzfoos asked participants to dream, to think about what they would be doing in their lives to minister to
others if money were no object. Brandy Crago responded with an answer—therapeutic horse riding—and Stoltzfoos quickly offered her the use of the land surrounding the church, setting her
dream into motion. Continue reading Churches on a Mission
